Sunday, 21 August 2011

Damson sponge sandwich with cheesecake filling

The strangely changeable weather we’ve had this summer has resulted in a bumper crop on my parents’ damson tree. The branches are heaving with so many damson plums that some are almost reaching down to the ground.

There is so much fruit that the damsons are clumping together and resemble giant bunches of grapes:

This cake came about because I couldn’t decide whether to make a sponge cake or a cheesecake. Of course, the answer was obvious – combine them so you get both!I’ve never really ‘got’ the concept of self deprivation.....

Each sponge layer is, in itself, an upside down cake – the damsons hide underneath the batter and become caramelised and sticky during baking. When the cakes are de-tinned, the damsons become the top of the cake.

Sandwiching a sponge with cheesecake is ridiculously decadent and I genuinely haven’t seen any other recipes that do it. My conclusion was that I am in a league of my own for self-indulgence!

I cannot recommend this recipe enough – the cheesecake filling works so well with the sponge and the flavours and textures of each seemed enhanced.Absolutely yummy!

Proving I can be as prone to arty photos as the next person, here’s the juice and sugar pooling in a damson half.Doesn’t it look pretty?

Hopefully by now, you’ve picked up on my ethos being “cake for all”.Some people in my family either don’t like (what can I say? Every family has a couple of ‘crazies’!), or can’t eat, cheesecake so I made another cake using the ingredients and method below but I made it all in one deep 20cm tin and omitted the cheesecake filling.

Here’s what I did:Placed all the damsons (they will form two tiers) in the bottom of the tin, made the batter and spread it over the damsons.Bake for approximately 35 minutes and serve in generous slices with whipped cream.Cake for all!

Line two 20cm loose bottomed sandwich tins with baking paper ensuring that the paper comes up above the height of the tin.

Sprinkle a tablespoon of sugar in the bottom of each tin then arrange the damsons, cut side down, into the tin

Place the butter and sugar into a bowl and beat together until light and fluffy. Take your time over this stage and only move on when the mixture starts to resemble whipped cream – it will take 10 minutes or so.

Beat in the eggs one at a time; if it looks like the mixture might curdle add some of the flour.

Fold in the flour, baking powder and milk.

Spoon the mixture into the tins – taking care not to disturb the damsons - and level the surface.

Place the cake tins on a baking sheet then place in the oven. Normally I put my baking tins straight onto the oven shelf, but when the cake might leak juice I take an extra precaution!

Bake for approximately 35 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the batter comes out cleanly. Mine took 40 minutes – I think the plums bubbling away with their juice under the batter means it takes longer!

Leave to cool in the tins until cool enough to de-tin; then leave to cool completely on a wire rack. The sponges can be made a day ahead of serving.

Now make the cheesecake filling, this can also be made a day ahead: Slice the vanilla pod in half and remove the seeds.

Place seeds in a bowl along with the cream cheese and icing sugar and beat until smooth and well combined.

Pour in the cream and beat until the mixture is completely combined.

Spoon into a bowl, cover with clingfilm and refrigerate.

On the day of serving build the sponge: place one of the sponges on a plate, damsons on the top, and spread with the cheesecake filling (if the cheesecake filling is stiff beat it with a spoon until it softens enough to spread).

Place remaining sponge on top, also damsons on the top.

Refrigerate until serving – try to remember to take the cake from the fridge 20 minutes or so in advance of serving so the flavours can come through.

Looks like a fab combo, and a great way to help with using a glut of plums. Are the fruit you used a plum called 'Damson' or damsons? I ask because we had a tree called 'Damson' which we think was probably a plum of that name, rather than a damson. The fruits were about the same size and colour as yours are. Delicious!

We've always thought they were a variety of plum called "damson" because 'true' damsons are smaller and far tarter - they have to be cooked, whereas these can be picked and eaten straight from the tree.

We are inundated with plums here too but I have to confess your photo of the cake with the cheesecake filling caught my eye. I thought it was cream at first and had to read on, yummy. Who needs custard? Lovely.

That is one decedent looking cake and I love the idea of having an upside down sandwich cake. But you are not the only one to have made plum cake and cheesecake together as you've already seen on my blog and I can vouch for the fact they make a wicked combination.

Wow this looks fabulous. We have lots of plums and damsons to use up too. Its my granmothers birthday next week and she loves fruity things so will have to bake this for her. Cheesecake filling and all!

Read this great novel!

Look at this great website

Follow my ambitious attempt to find a recipe for a cake, biscuit, pie or tart for every single one of the 39 traditional English counties!

The Caked Crusader and Boy Wonder

Cartoon by Cakeyboi

About Me

So, the answer to the question you’re all asking: who am I? Well, a superhero never reveals their identity. I think it’s stated somewhere in the contract when you sign up for superhero-dom. Let’s just call me THE CAKED CRUSADER. By day (and night if I’m being honest) a mild-mannered City professional, but at weekends I become THE CAKED CRUSADER. Tirelessly fighting anti-cake propaganda and cake-related injustices – for SOMEONE, SOMEWHERE, ALWAYS NEEDS CAKE (we’ll just skip over the fact that it’s usually me).

Batman’s got the batmobile, batcave etc. Superman does just great what with being able to fly and being really strong. Spiderman’s got that web thing going on. But I have better than them. For I have a credit card and could get one of these:

The purpose of my blog is simple – to spread the word that CAKE IS GOOD.Yes, it is calorific; that is why it tastes so nice.Yes, too much of it is bad for you; that’s what ‘too much’ means.Yes, we’re all told to eat healthily and we know that we should. But ask yourself this – and look very deeply into your soul before answering – when has a cup of tea and a carrot ever cheered you up? However, put that carrot into a cake and happiness will ensue. Quod erat demonstrandum – CAKE IS GOOD.

This site will catalogue cakes I have unleashed unto the world and my thoughts thereon.

By the way, I will never recommend how many portions you should get out of a cake because we’re all different. Plus, it will be very embarrassing when I say it serves 4 and you get 20 portions out of it.

WARNING: Too much time spent on this blog may cause hunger.

Privacy notice

The Caked Crusader blog does not share personal information with third-parties, nor does it store or use information collected about your visit to the site other than to analyse content performance. I am not responsible for the republishing of the blog’s content on other websites or media without my permission. This privacy policy is subject to change without notice.

Cake Achievement in Film and Television Arts (CAFTA)

Have you seen a cake in a film or tv show that deserves recognition? Has a cupcake upstaged a beefcake?

If so, please let me know and that cake could win a coveted CAFTA award. Email me your suggestions, with a photo of the cake if possible.

About Me

I am a 40-something Chartered Accountant working in the square mile.
My main hobbies at the moment are baking, and setting the world record for the number of cake tins owned by one person.
I spend far too much time watching Spongebob Squarepants and would love to try a Krabby Patty...I know, I know - it's not real.